Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast.

SUGGEST AN EVENT

Pick up some rhubarb and strawberries at your local farmer’s market or roadside stand this weekend and make a pie with this delicious duo before the season has completely gone by! Want to PYO strawberries? See where our readers suggest going with the kids in our archived post, Q&A: Local Strawberries.

If you have a community event, educational program or service opportunity for youth/families happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, self-post your event at any time on our “Suggest An Event” bulletin board. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening, along with time, place, age appropriateness and costs before attending.

Serving Western Massachusetts since 2005, Hilltown Families supports development and enhancement of our local economy and community. Local businesses, individuals, schools and non-profits are encouraged to partner with Hilltown Families throughsponsorship and advertising. Let us help get the word out about your after school/homeschool class, event, camp, workshop, fundraiser, business/school, service, open house, volunteer opportunity or general announcement. Deliver your message to thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families. Click HERE to find out more.

BET BETS & MARK YOUR CALENDARS

4th of July Highlights! From the state where the American Revolution began, families can take part in the multitude of 4th of July celebrations happening in Western MA beginning this weekend and for the next two weeks. Check out our 4th of July preview of events, parades & fireworks happening to celebrate in Western MA: 2013 Fourth of July Celebrations & Fireworks

BULLETIN BOARD

Jun 22 & 23

Our Shire’s beloved Mutton & Mead Tavern & Inne will be hosting its annual festival for your merriment. Enjoy the realm’s finest Entertainers as the legend of Robin Hood unfolds around you! Witness the daring spectacle of Knights Jousting, and hear the dulcet tones of minstrels songs. Stroll the enchanted paths of Sherwood Forest, encountering faeries, pixies and wood sprites. Adorn yourself with Merchants’ wares. Feast on the kingdom’s best Victuals, Meads and Ales. A Fundraiser for the Montague Common Hall & The Foodbank of Western Mass. Bring canned goods for a discount at the gate! June 22-23, 10am-6pm, 210 Turners Falls Road, Montague, MA. $15 Adults, $10 Kids and Seniors. Visit www.MuttonAndMead.com for details. Huzzah!

Reg deadline: Jun 23

Music Together® for Valley Families offers music and movement classes for 0 – 5 year olds and the grownups who love them.Their summer session begins July 1, 2013 in Amherst, Belchertown and South Hadley. Beloved by millions of families and early childhood educators, the program is now taught in 48 states and 40 other countries and is celebrating their 25 anniversary! Pioneering the idea of research based, developmentally appropriate early childhood music education, it emphasizes and facilitates caregiver involvement in a child’s musical growth. Registration deadline: June 23. Limited financial aid available. Contact: 413-259-9400, www.valleymusicgroup.com and on Facebook.

Jul 3-6; Jul 17-20; Jul 31 – Aug 3

PaintBox Theatre is a theatre of improvisation and imagination for the whole family. Start with a children’s classic. Add three actors. Add the Paintbox stage & a screen. Add artwork (by kids). Add lots of audience participation & improvisation. Stir well. There you go: Paintbox! This season: Little Red Riding Hood, July 3-6; Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude, July 17-20; and King Kong, Jr., July 31- August 3. All shows are presented in Theatre 14, Mendenhall Center for the Performing Arts, Green Street, on the Smith College Campus in Northampton, MA. Call for more information: 413-585-3220. Or visit online at www.newcenturytheatre.org/paintbox.html.

Host families are needed for exchange students attending the Academy at Charlemont and other area high schools this fall. Hosting is a great way to learn first-hand about another culture and to share your life with an international student. Students from over 70 countries are available. Host families provide a place for the student to sleep, meals, and a warm home environment. Students have their own spending money and medical insurance. Single parents, young couples and empty-nesters are all encouraged to apply. Interested families should contact Ann Newsmith, 802-257-4710, exchangevt@gmail.com. PAX is a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing mutual respect among the people of the world. www.pax.org.Cooley Dickinson Hospital: After a career coaching and playing ice hockey, Don “Toot” Cahoon couldn’t even tie his shoes without agonizing pain. A few months after getting a new hip from the Joint Replacement Center at Cooley Dickinson Hospital, he was walking, jogging, biking and skating pain free. The Joint Replacement at Cooley is second to none. It has a spectacular record in terms of safety and infections. Those are two very serious considerations when you are having a procedure like this. To hear the rest of Toot’s success story and hear from other patients, visit www.TheTalkIsGood.com.

Cooley Dickinson Childbirth Center: Voted “Best” Again in the Valley Advocate’s Readers Poll. For Granby residents Alyssa and Philip LaFlamme, Cooley Dickinson’s Childbirth Center was the comfortable choice. “From the moment I called to say I was on my way, I felt reassured and well taken care of,” said Alyssa, who praises labor and delivery nurse Terri Jay who “helped keep me calm when I had a few moments of panic.” Alyssa consistently received personalized care. “My friends have gone other places and they say they feel like a number at other hospitals.” The LaFlammes are not alone in their choice. For the third consecutive year, families have voted the Childbirth Center the Best Birthing Center in the Valley Advocate’s Readers’ Poll.

ADVERTISE HERE: Reach thousands of families in Western MA while supporting the community development work of Hilltown Families! See your April vacation event, open house, auditions, afterschool class, homeschool program, community event, workshop, school, wellness program or business featured here in the bulletin board section of our list of Weekly Suggested Events and eNewsletter, reaching thousands of families living throughout the four counties of Western MA! Find out more about our enhanced publicity packages and options and how we can help with your online marketing by emailing us at hilltownfamilies@gmail.com.

Looking for a summer camp or program in Western MA? Check out our featured post, 2013 Summer Camps and Programs in Western MA for a list that will wow and dazzle you! Summer opportunities featured range from music, art, farming, theater, dance, science, nature, sports, speaking, yoga, rock ‘n roll… to traditional summer day or overnight camps/programs! There’s something for all ages, toddlers to teens! Check it out and start making your summer plans!

Saturday, June 22nd, 2013

6-10am – FAMILY RADIO: Valley Free Radio (WXOJ-LP 103.3FM Northampton, MA) offers 4-hours of commercial-free family programing every Saturday, including the Hilltown Family Variety Show and Spare the Rock. Tune in on your FM dial, or listen live via streaming audio at www.valleyfreeradio.org.

9-10am – HILLTOWN FAMILY VARIETY SHOW: Tune in on your FM dial, or listen live via streaming audio at www.valleyfreeradio.org. – Celebrate summer with a multicultural and multi-genre children’s music episode with our guest DJ, Jeffrey Friedberg from The Bossy Frog Band. Children will hear music from South American to South Africa to the American South. Whether winter, spring, summer or fall, these songs will make you want to lie down in a hammock, close your eyes and swing from side to side. – Encore of Saturday’s broadcast airs Sunday morning from 7-8am and podcast is posted here on Hilltown Families immediately following Sunday’s broadcast. Listen to the Hilltown Family Variety Show podcasts anytime. Click here to choose from 6 years of archived shows!

8am-12noon – COMMUNITY SERVICE: Come out to Tamarack Hollow Nature and Cultural Center for a volunteer work day. Tamarack Hollow is a newly-formed non-profit and needs help clearing land and trails so they can build their center in the near future. Volunteering together as a family teaches children the importance of helping others while bringing your family closer. 413-522-1505. 1515 Savoy Hollow Road. Windsor, MA. (FREE)

9am – COMMUNITY SERVICE: The West Springfield Friends of Park and Recreation are planting trees at Old Tatham Field. Bring a shovel, pick, and work gloves and help FOPAR improve a local park. Planting trees can provide an avenue of service-based learning that supports your child’s understanding of local habitats and the importance of preservation. 413-736-3878. Poplar Avenue & Meadowbrook Avenue. WestSpringfield, MA. (FREE)

9am-12pm – SUSTAINABILITY: Have some rigid plastic toys that take up space in the garage? Want to get rid of shirts and pants that your children have outgrown? Bringing your Rigid Plastic, Textiles, Bicycles & Household Goods to be recycled today to the Northampton Reuse Event! Swap old for new and recycle rigid plastics that cannot be mixed in with regular can and container recycling. Bikes Not Bombs will collect bicycles & bike parts and Salvation Army will collect textiles and household goods (great opportunity to recycle in those bikes and clothes your kids have outgrown). Clean and dry textiles will also be collected (bring in those kid jeans with holes in the knees the size of a dinner plate and their shirts stained with juice & chocolate!). Smith Vocational School, 80 Locust St Northampton, MA 01060. (FREE)

9am-1pm – COMMUNITY SERVICE: Gather the whole family for one of Berkshire Environmental Action Team’s Housatonic River Cleanups! Spend quality time together while doing community service, learning about a local watershed, and volunteering to do good for both the river and its surrounding communities. Meet at Wahconah Park. 413-230-7321. 143 Wahconah Street. Pittsfield, MA. (FREE)

9:30am-10:30am – INSECTSTUDIES: Contribute to Project Native’s Butterfly House by attending a Summer Butterfly and Bug Safari! Walk the grounds looking for butterflies, caterpillars, and eggs to relocate to the Butterfly House. Learn about this order of insects, Lepidoptera, and gain skills in finding and even identifying butterflies and caterpillars and by learning about their host plants. 413-274-3433. 342 North Plain Road. Housatonic, MA.

10am-12noon – NATURESTUDIES: Learn about water and ecology at Science in the Parks with science educator Lisa Provencher! This a great chance for kids to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) during the summer months. Students will have the opportunity to collect water samples and run pH tests, identify aquatic plants, and look for insects and amphibians, teaching them the importance of environmental stewardship and the value of local parks and habitats. 413-499-0692. West Street. Pittsfield, MA. (FREE)

10am-5pm – FASHION STUDIES: Trace the evolution of an American icon at the opening of “Worn to Be Wild: The Black Leather Jacket” at the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts at the Springfield Museums. This exhibit features many different leather jackets, from hand-decorated jackets to those worn by celebrities, and examines the connections between fashion and society while acknowledging the historical context of the garment. There will also be vendors, music, and lectures. 800-625-7738. 21 Edwards Street. Springfield, MA. >$

10am-6pm – MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL: The third annual Mutton and Mead Medieval Festival is returning for a weekend of medieval-inspired fun. There will be games, vendors, jousting matches, music, food, the chance to explore the enchanted Sherwood Forest, and more. You can even meet Maid Marian and Robin Hood and his Merry Men! Mutton and Mead is not just an exciting event – it is also a fundraiser for The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, so come in costume (or not!) to support the Food Bank and have a great time. 210 Turners Falls Road. Montague, MA. $$

10am-11am – NATURE STUDIES/HIKE: Explore the Mt. Tom State Reservation and the Beau Bridges Trail on this moderate hike. Participants will learn about the ecology of the trail’s stream while hearing a fascinating story about women’s history along the way. 413-534-1186. 125 Reservation Road. Holyoke, MA. (FREE) / >$ FOR PARKING

10am-4pm – HISTORY/CULINARY ARTS: Interested in learning how the colonists ate? Come to Historic Deerfield for an open hearth cooking demonstration. This month’s theme is “Spring Brings Fresh Food.” Visitors will witness open hearth cooking using traditional seasonal foods that the colonists ate, such as milk, eggs, berries, and asparagus. This exciting experience teaches visitors about settler history as well as culinary arts. 413-775-7214. Old Main Street. Deerfield, MA. $

10:30am-12noon – NATURE SCIENCE: Take a closer look at one of our local watersheds at the Great Falls Discovery Center’s, “Watershed Investigators,” a special family program where kids can learn new ways to look at and understand the world around them using games, crafts, exploration, etc. Designed to best fit students in grades 2-5, but all ages are welcome. 413-863-3221. 2 Avenue A. Turners Falls, MA. (FREE)

11am-1pm – PARENT WORKSHOP: Simple Diaper & Linen is offering a free Cloth Diapering 101 workshop at the Second Chances children’s consignment shop. They will discuss the basics of cloth diapering, particularly the environmental benefits, and will be available to answer questions. The workshop is baby- and kid-friendly; just email them ahead of time (info@simple.coop). 413-259-9393. 7 Pomeroy Lane #7. Amherst, MA. (FREE)

11am-3pm – ARCHAEOLOGY/LITERACY: As part of the “Dig Into Reading” summer reading program, the Jones Library, the Beneski Museum of Natural History, and the Mead Art Museum are collaborating for the event, “Dig It! A Festival of Art, Books, and Fossils.” Families can learn about archaeology and uncovering fossils at the Beneski Museum and about human history and culture at the Mead. Fossils are a great way to discover history, both natural and human, and there will be tons of events for families to help them do so. 413-542-2335. 12 Quadrangle Drive. Amherst, MA. (FREE)

11am-2pm – ARTS & CRAFTS: Artisans of WMass will be hosting a Paper Making Workshop at The Daylily. Instructor Donna Beck will show how handmade paper can be made by recycling junk mail, old greeting cards, or any paper slated for the recycling bin. Best for ages 8yo and older. Pair this free workshop with a visit to the Berkshire Museum’s Paperworks exhibit in Pittsfield, and/or a trip to the Crane Museum of Papermaking in Dalton to round out your exposure to the art and science of papermaking. 8A Sugarloaf Street. South Deerfield, MA (FREE)

11:30am-12:30pm – ANIMAL STUDIES: The Mason Library is holding “The Dirt on Dirt Family Event.” This event is best for kids ages 4 and up and is all about worms! Build a worm farm, play with gummy worms, interact with live worms, and participate in a worm race. Registration is required. 413-528-2403. 231 Main Street. Great Barrington, MA. (FREE)

12noon & 1pm – LOCAL HISTORY: Visit Williamstown’s Field Farm for a tour of the Folly House, an example of post-modernist architecture surrounded by fields, woods, and wetlands, as well as both the Berkshire and Taconic mountain ranges. This is a chance to explore a unique historic home. 413-684-0148. 554 Sloan Road. Williamstown, MA. $

12noon-2:30pm – INSECT STUDIES: Want to learn more about ants? Aaron Ellison and Elizabeth Farnsworth, ecologists and co-authors of the new Field Guide to the Ants of New England, are leading a walk at the Hitchcock Center for those who are interested in learning more about these insects. The walk will be spent learning how to find, identify, and collect ants, although it will also focus on the ecology of ants and the role they play in local ecosystems. This event is best for older students or adults. Rain date: 6/23. 413-256-6006. 525 South Pleasant Street. Amherst, MA. (FREE)

12noon – 4pm – COMMUNITY CELEBRATION: The Berkshire Co-op Market is hosting a Summer Solstice Bash at Memorial Field (next to the co-op). There will be live music, great food, local vendors (including a first time collaboration with Berkshire Flea – a locally based artisan flea market), Kids activities and more. Events include a kids concert with David Grover, MYO hula hoops & butter, and delicious food. 413-528-9697. 42 Bridge Street. Great Barrington, MA (FREE)

1pm – LOCAL HISTORY WALK: Learn about local history and celebrate Rev. Samuel Harrison, the chaplain of the all-black 54th regiment during the Civil War, at Lift Ev’ry Voice Festival’s Faith and Freedom Walk. The walk will begin at the Harrison House Museum in Pittsfield and end at the Second Congregational Church where Rev. Harrison was a pastor. Will Singleton, Ed.D., president of the NAACP Berkshire County Chapter, will speak after the walk. 413-841-0519. 82 Third St. Pittsfield, MA. (FREE)

1pm – LIBRARY ADVENTURES: In order to kick off the Meekins Library summer reading program, “Stand-Up Chameleon” Jackson Gillman will perform “A Riot in the Garden,” a farm/science-based performance for all ages. Gillman’s performances often include comedy, drama, music, storytelling, dance, sign language, and more! Following the performance, there will be ice cream sundaes. 413-268-7472. 2 Williams Street. Williamsburg, MA. (FREE)

1pm – LAWN CONCERT: First Congregational Church of Amherst invites you to this year’s final Music on Main event. Park your lawn chairs and blankets on the church’s front lawn and enjoy live tunes by Dixieland Stomp. This kid-friendly event is free, but five dollars will get you a plateful of homemade strawberry shortcake and a beverage! 413-253-3456. 165 Main St. Amherst, MA. (FREE)

1pm-2pm – NATURE STUDIES: Come to the Mt. Tom State Reservation to discover spring species around the park. Bring clothes that can get muddy and come prepared to learn about the many different plants and animals that you can observe during the springtime! 413-534-1186. 125 Reservation Road. Holyoke, MA. (FREE) / >$ FOR PARKING

1pm-4pm – ART/MUSEUMS: It’s Family Doodle Day at the Norman Rockwell Museum! Celebrate the art of doodling and R.O. Blechman: The Inquiring Line, on display at the Museum. There will be tours, performances, and workshops to get you doodling. Free with museum admission. 413-298-4100. 9 Route 183. Stockbridge, MA. $$

2pm – FIRE SCIENCE:Western Gateway Heritage State Park presents “The Nature of Fire,” a lecture held in conjunction with their summer exhibit, “Wildfire!” Learn the history and science of nature’s most dynamic element! This illustrated lecture will give an introduction to the exhibit, which covers all aspects of wildfire, from causes to management. Best for older students. 413-663-6312. 115 State Street, Building #4. North Adams, MA.

2pm – LOCAL HISTORY: The Stockbridge History Museum located in the Stockbridge Library will host a living museum with a program called, Tea with Abigail. Abigail Williams (1721 – 1791 ) will be receiving callers for tea in the Library’s Bement Room. Nineteenth and early twentieth century Stockbridge ladies (all in period costumes) will be stopping by for tea and local gossip of their times. Tables will be set up so guests may partake of refreshments as well as listen to and join in the conversation. A fun, interactive way for older students to learn about local history. 413-298-5501. 46 Main Street. Stockbridge, MA (>$)

2pm-3pm – ANIMAL STUDIES: “Hurray for Herps!” Discover the amazing world of reptiles and amphibians (known as “herps”) with Teaching Creatures at the Notch Visitors Center. You can meet these fascinating animals and learn about their differences, similarities, and behaviors. 413-253-2883. 1500 West Street. Amherst, MA.

2pm-4pm – DANCE STUDIES: As part of the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Lift Ev’ry Voice, Dance Theatre of Harlem, the first African-American classical ballet company in the United States, will perform an assortment of both classical and contemporary ballets. This is a rare opportunity to see this renowned ensemble perform right here in Western Massachusetts. Tickets are required and can be purchased online or by phone. Discounted tickets are available for kids 17 and under and must be purchased by phone. 413-243-0745. 358 George Carter Road. Becket, MA. $$$

3pm-5pm – LIBRARY ADVENTURES: The Sunderland Public Library is having a Star Wars Symposium. Play Star Wars trivia, participate in a costume contest and a show-and-tell activity, learn about the history of “the galaxy far, far away,” and more! Costumes are encouraged. Recommended for ages 5 and up; families welcome. 413-665-2642. 20 School St. Sunderland, MA. (FREE)

4pm – DANCE: The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival and Lift Ev’ry Voice are coming together to present “Dance Theatre of Harlem Onscreen,” a discussion and celebration of some of the company’s films, such as Creole Giselle and others. Learn about the history of the United States’ first African-American classical ballet company and some of their most famous pieces, as well as the choreography and training behind many of these dances. 413-243-9919. 358 George Carter Road. Becket, MA. (FREE)

6pm – LAWN CONCERT: The Otis Cultural Council is holding a Sup’ and Swing Concert and picnic dinner at Isaac Walton Field. Wanda Houston and the Skeletones will perform New Orleans jazz, rhythm, blues, soul, and swing, so come prepared to dance and enjoy a picnic dinner with family and friends. 413-269-4251. Tannery Road & Route 8. Otis, MA. (FREE)

6pm-9pm – LAWN CONCERT: The Massachusetts Walking Tour is coming to the Hitchcock Center for a live concert and picnic dinner. Several folk musicians are walking across the state playing concerts as they go in order to promote arts and culture in several of Massachusetts’ many small towns, all while encouraging ecological sustainability. Pack a picnic dinner and bring the whole family to this unique and exciting event. 413-256-6006. 525 South Pleasant Street. Amherst, MA.

9pm – ASTRONOMY: Explore the night sky from the highest natural point in Massachusetts! Mt. Greylock Public Star Parties provide an opportunity for anyone to observe the night sky using a variety of different telescopes. The summit of Mt. Greylock is an excellent place to view the stars and planets because of its low light pollution and low horizons. Meet at the summit near the War Memorial Tower. 413-499-4262. 30 Rockwell Road. Lanesboro, MA. (FREE)

Sunday, June 23rd, 2013

7-8am – FAMILY RADIO: Valley Free Radio (WXOJ-LP 103.3FM Northampton, MA) airs encores the Hilltown Family Variety Show every Sunday morning. commercial-free family radio. Tune in on your FM dial, or listen live via streaming audio at www.valleyfreeradio.org. Listen to the Hilltown Family Variety Show podcast anytime. Click here to see 6 years of archived shows.

10am-4pm – LOCAL HISTORY: The Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum is hosting a Community Day for residents of the Hilltowns. Take a free tour of the Museum and learn about the Porter, Phelps, and Huntington families’ experience of historical events like the Revolutionary War and the abolition of slavery, as well as the changing role of women in America and the impact of various theological movements in local society over time. After the tour, enjoy free refreshments on the Museum’s back porch! 413-584-4699. 130 River Drive. Hadley, MA. (FREE)

10am-6pm – MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL: The third annual Mutton and Mead Medieval Festival is returning for a weekend of medieval-inspired fun. There will be games, vendors, jousting matches, music, food, the chance to explore the enchanted Sherwood Forest, and more. You can even meet Maid Marian and Robin Hood and his Merry Men! Mutton and Mead is not just an exciting event – it is also a fundraiser for The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, so come in costume (or not!) to support the Food Bank and have a great time. 210 Turners Falls Road. Montague, MA. $$

12noon-4:30pm – HISTORY: Visit Historic Deerfield for Three Bags Full: All About Wool, a special museum presentation on sheep shearing and processing wool for use at home. Families can drop in anytime to see the wool being processed, and to learn about the many uses for wool in early New England life. Families can even try their hand at a few of the processing steps! There will also be open hearth cooking demonstrations, where families can learn about the traditional one-pot cooking style of early New Englanders. 413-775-7214. Old Main Street. Deerfield, MA. ($)

2pm-3pm – NATURE STUDIES: The Great Falls Discovery Center is holding a Habitat Highlights Museum Tour to teach visitors about the many different habitats along the Connecticut River. In order to do so, museum staff will lead a guided tour of the Center’s many dioramas of bogs, estuaries, floodplains, and more. 413-863-3221. 2 Avenue A. Turners Falls, MA. (FREE)

1pm-2:30pm – NATURE STUDIES: Mt. Tom State Reservation’s Bray Lake is a great place to observe wildlife! Come to Life Around the Lake to learn about the different wildlife in and around the lake and to see what creatures you’re able to spot. 413-534-1186. 125 Reservation Road. Holyoke, MA. (FREE) / >$ FOR PARKING

7pm – FILM STUDIES: The Academy of Music Theatre will host a screening of the classic silent film Phantom of the Opera (1925), adaptation of the Gaston Leroux novel of the same title. Digitally restored, retaining the elaborate color scheme of the original, and accompanied by a live score performed by Alloy Orchestra, the film is “as creepy today as it was 75 years ago.” Considered to be one of the scariest and most influential horror films of all time, this event is recommended for older students interested in film studies and adults. Advance purchase of tickets is recommended. 413-584-9032 ext105. 274 Main St. Northampton, MA. $$

Monday, June 24, 2013

11am-12noon – LEGOS: Build LEGOs with friends at the Sunderland Public Library! Kids 6 and up can exercise creativity and practice their building skills by making their own LEGO creations or by following one of the library’s themes. 413-665-2642. 20 School Street. Sunderland, MA.

1pm-2pm – HISTORY/NATURE STUDIES: Did you that the first female nature guides East of the Rockies worked at Mt. Tom State Reservation? Come to Mt. Tom to hear about this fascinating history and to learn more about the Reservation. 413-534-1186. 125 Reservation Road. Holyoke, MA. (FREE)

4pm-5pm – ANIMAL STUDIES: Mammals are an incredible group of species including many different creatures from bats to whales to humans. At roughly 5,400 species, there is a lot to learn about mammals! Join Teaching Creatures at Tolland State Forest for a workshop on mammals, where you can learn about animal behavior and ecology and even meet a few special mammals. 413-269-6002. 410 Tolland Road. East Otis, MA.

6pm – LOCAL HISTORY: The Holyoke Canoe Club is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, and the Wistariahurst Museum is hosting a tour of the Club for the occasion. Zest for canoeing, boating and croquet became highly fashionable amongst the residents of Holyoke towards the end of the 19th century. Walk the grounds and explore the building while learning about the Club’s history and its role throughout Holyoke’s history. 413-322-5660. Old Ferry Road. Holyoke, MA.

7pm – PERFORMANCE: The fourth annual Grasshoppas in the Park Before Dark event is happening at Cummington’s Pettingill Memorial Field. This is a community celebration for the whole family featuring music and dance performances by various different groups and based in many different styles and traditions. There will be several site specific performances around the park that encourage audience engagement by getting people to interact with a local park while experiencing different dance pieces. 413-634-5431. Main Street. Cummington, MA. (FREE)

7:30pm-9pm – LOCAL HISTORY: You may know about Edith Wharton’s home, the Mount, but did you know that it’s considered to be haunted? Come see for yourself on one of the Mount’s ghost tours. The tour will take you through the stables and the main house, where you will learn about and even witness the property’s haunted creaks and footsteps. Please see website for more information and to buy tickets. Not recommended for children under 12. 413-551-5100. 2 Plunkett Street. Lenox, MA. $$

7:45pm – CULTURAL & MUSIC STUDIES: Prakasa Yoga Studio welcomes WAH, an internationally recognized musician and yogi, for an intimate performance of sacred Indian music called Kirtan. Kirtan is a traditional form of Indian music in which the musicians sing out a verse and the audience sings it back. It is described as being both fun and meditative. No experience is necessary, and participation is optional. Children under 12 get in free, while teens and seniors receive half-price admission, and no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Doors open at 7:15. 152 Ball Rd. Goshen, MA. $$

ONGOING FOR MONDAY (The season is changing and we are updating our list with ongoing summer activities! To add your ongoing event/activity here, email us at hilltownfamilies@gmail.com)

10-11:30am – DANCEMEDITATION: Healing Through Inward Focused Movement. Delight in dance as meditation, celebration, and self- restoration. Drop out of over-active mind into intuitive embodiment, and awaken your Heart to healing! Held at The Wild Life Sanctuary through May 6th. inneropening@gmail.com. 413-822-2405. 221 Pine Street. Florence, MA ($13 Drop-in)

6pm – SPORTS: Every Monday in June you can learn to waterski at Oxbow Waterski Show Team’s ski site. All you need is a bathing suit and experienced Show Team members will teach you to waterski. 413-636-2094. Old Springfield Road. Northampton, MA. $$-$$$

7pm – KNITTING: The Westhampton Library has an open knitting group every Monday evening. Come and learn to knit or if you already know how, come knit with others! All are welcome. 413-527-5386. 1 North Road. Westhampton, MA. (FREE)

7:30pm – CESAREAN SUPPORT: International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) will provide mother-to-mother support on the fourth Monday of each month at Grow. These support meetings are to support cesarean recovering, offer info on VBAC’s, and refer mother’s to additional support. 413-341-6882. 3rd Floor, Thornes Market. Northampton, MA (FREE)

Tuesday, June 25th, 2013

8:30am-8pm – ARTS & CRAFTS: The Westfield Athenaeum will have a free arts and crafts table open to children of all ages. A special craft will be available for kids to make at the library or take home to complete. 413-562-6158 x5. 6 Elm Street. Westfield, MA. (FREE)

10:30am-11:30am – NATURE STUDIES: Children ages 3-6 and their parents are invited to the Great Falls Discovery Center’s Kidleidoscope event! Kidleidoscope focuses on teaching young children about the natural world using the theme “we share our home.” Activities include stories, interactive games, and crafts. 413-863-3221. 2 Avenue A. Turners Falls, MA. (FREE)

1pm – FAMILY MOVIE: Kids who are registered for the “Dig Into Reading” summer reading program are invited to a screening of Rise of the Guardians at the East Longmeadow Public Library. More information about the movie and about registering for summer reading can be found here. Please register for the movie. 413-525-5400 x1506. 60 Center Square. East Longmeadow, MA. (FREE)

2pm – ARTS AND CRAFTS/LANGUAGE ARTS: Join Odyssey Bookshop for Camp Odyssey! This once-a-week camp features a weekly book and activities to go along with it. Recommended for kids age 5 and up, this week’s book/activity is Recycled Robots. Come learn about robots and how to make your own from recycled materials! Registration is required by June 16th. 514-534-7307. 9 College Street. South Hadley, MA. >$

7-9am – ECOLOGY: Bring your older children to learn about the future of the oceans and their changing planet. John Englander is an expert on rising sea leveling, is the current president of the Sea Level Institute and has been interviewed on NPR and recently on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” His new book, High Tide On Main Street: Rising Sea Level And The Coming Coastal Crisis is getting rave reviews from scientific experts and describes a superstorm hitting Atlantic City and New York exactly one week before Sandy made landfall. Mr. Englander will speak, show slides of both the Arctic and Antarctica, host a Q&A session. 413-584-9032 ext.105. Academy of Music, 247 Main St., Northampton. ($)

7pm – LAWN CONCERT: Pack a picnic dinner and come to the Tilton Library for their Monday Night Music concert series. This week Tyler and TJ Conroy will perform. 413-665-4683. 75 North Main Street. South Deerfield, MA. (FREE)

6pm-8pm – FAMILY MOVIE: Come by the Sunderland Public Library for a screening of Return to Nim’s Island (PG). 413-665-2642. 20 School Street. Sunderland, MA.

6-7pm – SCIENCE: Earthworks with Mad Science at S. White Dickinson Memorial Library. Children ages 5 and up are introduced to the science of geology. They examine three different rock types and learn how and where they formed. Children investigate tectonic plates and learn how their movements cause stress on the Earth. They discover that these movements can cause mountains to form, earthquakes to occur, and volcanoes to erupt. The children make and take home a Sedimentary Stacker. 413-665-2170. 202 Chestnut Plain Road. Whately, MA (FREE)

6:30pm – HISTORY: Would you like to learn more about historic New England gravestone art and epitaphs? The Gravestone Girls will be giving a lecture at Dickinson Memorial Library on the art and history of gravestones, as well as their inherent symbolism. They will also present a virtual tour of Northfield’s cemeteries that will teach local history – you may be surprised at how much you can learn by studying gravestones! 413-498-2455. 115 Main Street. Northfield, MA.

6:30pm – CONCERT: Musical Moments at Amelia’s Garden, the Amelia Park Ice Arena summer concert series, presents Duane Carlson Music, who will be playing songs from the ‘50s to today. This concert is fun for the whole family – bring lawn chairs, pack a picnic dinner, and enjoy the sunset while listening to great music. 413-568-2503. 21 South Broad Street. Westfield, MA. (FREE)

6:30pm – PARENT WORKSHOP: Naturopathic physician Dr. Chris Decker will give a talk at River Valley Market on naturopathic treatments for Lyme disease and its co-infections. Dr. Decker will lead a discussion on Lyme disease, its symptoms, and many of its alternative treatments. Pre-registration is required. 413-584-2665. 330 North King Street. Northampton, MA. (FREE)

ONGOING FOR TUESDAYS (The season is changing and we are updating our list with ongoing summer activities! To add your ongoing event/activity here, email us at hilltownfamilies@gmail.com)

8pm – ASTRONOMY: The Milham Planetarium at Williams College will be open to the public for a planetarium show every Tuesday beginning July 9th until August 13th. You can learn about the motions of the planets, the phases of the moon, comets, and much more! Reservations recommended. 413-597-2188. 829 Main Street. Williamstown, MA. (FREE)

Wednesday, June 26th, 2013

10am – FAMILY MOVIE: Cinemark Summer Movie Clubhouse has $1 movies for kids and adults, all rated G or PG. This week’s movie is The Smurfs. Buy tickets to all ten movies in advance for $5 or spend $1 on each individual movie. 1-800-326-3264. 327 Russell Street. Hadley, MA. >$

10am-12noon – NATURE STUDIES: Explore Constitution Hill with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council. In addition to being a beautiful natural area, this site is the location of an historic bonfire that celebrated Massachusetts’ ratification of the Constitution, as well as the location of humorist Josh Billings’ historic homestead. This easygoing hike is for people of all ages who want to explore the outdoors and some of Western Massachusetts’ interesting historic sites. 413-499-0596. Bridge Street. Lanesboro, MA.

10:15am – LEGOS/STEM: Come to the Wilbraham Library for LEGO building for kids 4 and up. Build a LEGO masterpiece to go on display in the library’s foyer! Please register in advance. 413-596-6141. 25 Crane Park Drive. Wilbraham, MA.

11am – STORYTIME: This week’s Wednesday Storytime at Odyssey Bookshop is all about trucks and other things that go “vroom!” 413-534-7307. 9 College Street. South Hadley, MA. (FREE)

11am-12noon – ANIMAL STUDIES: Join the East Longmeadow Public Library for Animal Tales with the Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society. Kids who are enrolled in the summer reading program can come and hear stories about the animals at DPVHS, learn about the shelter, learn how reading can help the shelter, and even meet some of the animals! More information about this event and about registering for summer reading can be found here. Please register. 413-525-5400 x1506. 60 Center Square. East Longmeadow, MA. (FREE)

12noon-1pm – ANIMAL STUDIES: Want to learn more about your favorite zoo animals? Forest Park Zoo’s “Zoo on the Go” program is coming to Stanley Park! Kids of all ages can get up close to the animals while learning about their native habitats, eating habits, and behavior. 413-568-9312. 400 Western Avenue. Westfield, MA. (FREE)

12:15pm – HISTORY: Join the Springfield Museums for their weekly Museums á la Carte Lecture at the Michele and Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts. This week’s lecture, “Fashioning Rebellion: Cultural Memory and the Leather Jacket,” focuses on the history of the leather jacket, its meaning, and its role in our understanding of both society and material culture. The lecture examines the subtle and not-so-subtle connections between fashion, history, and social movements. 1-800-625-7738. 21 Edwards Street. Springfield, MA. >$

2pm – GAMES: Join the Westhampton Public Library for a game of Scrabble! This is a great chance to work on your Scrabble skills while meeting new people. 413-527-5386. 1 North Road. Westhampton, MA. (FREE)

6:30pm-7:30pm – FOSSILS: Kids in grades 1-4 and their parents are invited to the East Longmeadow Public Library for an evening of hands-on science exploration! There will be stations set up around the library, each focusing on different fossils and ways for kids to learn about them. This event is open to kids enrolled in the summer reading program. More information about this event and about registering for summer reading can be found here. Please register. 413-525-5400 x1506. 60 Center Square. East Longmeadow, MA. (FREE)

PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT

6:30pm-8pm – STORYTIME: Join the Storrs Library and the Association of Springfield Storytellers for a special evening storytime for adults. Several storytellers will tell a variety of engaging tales, all without a script. This is a great chance for adults to relax and reacquaint themselves with storytime, which isn’t just for kids! Please register. 413-565-4181. 693 Longmeadow Street. Longmeadow, MA. (FREE)

ONGOING FOR WEDNESDAYS (The season is changing and we are updating our list with ongoing summer activities! To add your ongoing event/activity here, email us at hilltownfamilies@gmail.com)

9am – HIKING: Mount Greylock State Reservation’s Nice and Easy Hikes are geared toward seniors but are open to all ages. Great opportunity for grandparents to take their grandkids on a morning adventure! Explore the Reservation while learning about things like plants, animals, and natural history. Call for meeting place info. 413-499-4262. 30 Rockwell Road. Lanesborough, MA. (FREE)

Thursday, June 27th, 2013

11am-12noon – MUSIC: Roger Tincknell’s Earth Rhythms is an interactive music program that celebrates the natural world and teaches environmental awareness and stewardship. Good for all ages, Tincknell’s performance at the East Longmeadow Public Library encourages audience participation through singing, moving, and playing percussion. This event is only open to those who are registered in the summer reading program. More information about Earth Rhythms and about registering for summer reading can be found here. Please register. 413-525-5400 x1506. 60 Center Square. East Longmeadow, MA. (FREE)

11:15am-12:15am – ARTS & CRAFTS: Do you love superheroes? What about plants? Make a superhero terrarium at the Mason Library! Kids ages 7-10 will learn the art of terrarium-making and can put a favorite superhero action figure into their newly-made terrariums. Registration is required. 413-528-2403. 231 Main Street. Great Barrington, MA. (FREE)

12noon-5pm – CRAFTS/PLAYTIME: Stop by the Hatfield Public Library for fun with bubbles and beads! Play with bubbles and make a craft with beads. 413-237-9097. 39 Main Street. Hatfield, MA. (FREE)

3:30pm-6:30pm – FAMILY CELEBRATION: The Salasin Center’s F.U.N. Center is holding a Summer Celebration for families! Come to the center, then walk to the Federal Street School playground for a picnic, hula hoops, and fun with family and friends. 413-775-0010. 474 Main Street. Greenfield, MA. (FREE)

6pm – TEEN BOOK CLUB: This month’s selection for Odyssey Bookshop’s “Not Yo Momma’s Book Club” is Legend by Marie Lu. The book is based in a dystopian future United States in which June, a teen prodigy, is hired to hunt down Day, a teen criminal. One particular crime causes them to cross paths, where they begin to uncover dangerous secrets about their country. Read Legend and attend today’s discussion. 413-534-7307. 9 College Street. South Hadley, MA. (FREE)

6pm – LAWN CONCERT: Enjoy an outdoor concert for the whole family at the Florence Civic Center’s Music on the Porch event. Bring a picnic, blankets, and chairs and enjoy this week’s show, The Mike Hooker Experience. 90 Park Street. Florence, MA. (FREE)

6pm-8pm – LAWN CONCERT:Coop Concerts Summer Concert Series takes place weekly at Greenfield Energy Park. This week’s show features Boys of the Landfill, Russ Thomas, and Small Change. Bring a blanket and enjoy a picnic dinner with family and friends while listening to exciting live music. 50 Miles Street. Greenfield, MA. (FREE)

6:30pm-8:30pm – LAWN CONCERT: The Wilbraham Nature and Cultural Center is kicking off its summer concert series at Fountain Park with the Frank Manzi Band. Manzi’s style ranges from acoustic to rock and he always puts on a great show, so bring the whole family and sit on the lawn while enjoying entertaining live music. 413-596-2712. 883 Tinkham Road. Wilbraham, MA.

ONGOING FOR THURSDAYS (The season is changing and we are updating our list with ongoing summer activities! To add your ongoing event/activity here, email us at hilltownfamilies@gmail.com)

8pm – ASTRONOMY: The Milham Planetarium at Williams College will be open to the public for a planetarium show every Tuesday & Thursday until August 13th. You can learn about the motions of the planets, the phases of the moon, comets, and much more! Reservations recommended. 413-597-2188. 829 Main Street. Williamstown, MA. (FREE)

Friday, June 28th, 2013

9:30am-5pm – MUSEUM ADVENTURES: Five dollar admission! June is an especially popular time to visit Old Sturbridge Village because summer activities are in full swing, with daily stagecoach and boat rides, interactive crafts, fishing in the Millpond and traditional games on the Common – old-fashioned “baseball” and tug-of-war, which was called “French and English” in the early 1800s. In addition, the Village offers all of its signature craft demonstrations, and guests can see the printer, shoemaker, potter, blacksmith and “tinners” at work. OSV has 40 antique buildings, including three water-powered mills and a working farm. Visitors can meet the Village’s heritage breed animals, and tour one of its five gardens, which have heirloom herbs, vegetables, and flowers in bloom. 800-733-1830. 1 Old Sturbridge Village Road. Sturbridge, MA. (<$)

10am – STORYTIME: Preschool-aged kids are invited to the Stockbridge Library for Stories in the Grass for stories, songs, and summer activities on the library lawn. 413-298-5501. 46 Main Street. Stockbridge, MA. (FREE)

10am – KIDS CONCERT: Dance, hop, and sing with Terry A La Berry & Friends at Stanley Park’s Beveridge Pavilion Annex! An interactive concert for kids from preschool up to age 9, “Get Up and Move” aims to physically and mentally engage kids in live music in an effort to shift their attention away from technology. 413-568-9312. 400 Western Avenue. Westfield, MA. (FREE)

11am – STORYTIME/ARTS AND CRAFTS: The Sunderland Public Library is offering a story and craft time for kids ages 3-6. Kids can come hear a story while doing an arts and crafts project. 413-665-2642. 20 School Street. Sunderland, MA. (FREE)

1pm – STORYTIME: “Dig Into Reading” with the Stockbridge Library at their summer reading kick-off event featuring Davis Bates! Bates is a professional storyteller who will share songs and stories about gardening, nature, family, and more. “Dig Into Reading” is a national summer reading program to help kids develop language skills and learn to enjoy reading. 413-298-5501. 46 Main Street. Stockbridge, MA.

3pm-5pm – KIDS BOOK CLUB: The Hatfield Public Library’s kid’s book club, Magical Troublemakers, gives kids the chance to hang out and read books, have adventures, solve mysteries, and do fun projects. The book club meets six times throughout the summer – please call the library for more information and for the specific dates of the program. Registration is required. 413-237-9097. 39 Main Street. Hatfield, MA. (FREE)

3pm-6pm – MUSIC STUDIES: As part of the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays, Tanglewood will hold a Family Fun Fest for children of all ages. Kids can participate in an educational scavenger hunt, try out orchestral instruments at the Instrument Playground, do arts and crafts activities, and watch performances and demonstrations by representatives from various museums and theatrical or musical groups. Please register in advance. 617-266-1200. 297 West Street. Lenox, MA. (FREE)

6pm- FIREWORKS: The City of Holyoke’s annual Fourth of July fireworks will take place at Holyoke Community College. There will also be food, music, and activities for the whole family. Rain date 6/29. Homestead Avenue. Holyoke, MA. (FREE)

6pm-7pm – NATURE STUDIES/LANGUAGE ARTS: New England has a rich literary history, having been home to poets like Emily Dickinson, Frederick Goddard Tuckerman, Wallace Stevens, and others. Examine the connections between poetry and nature at Great Falls Discovery Center during their “Watershed Poets” event. Explore the Connecticut River and its many plants and animals while discovering poetry in field guides, books, and nature itself. Best for older students interested in language arts. 413-863-3221. 2 Avenue A. Turners Falls, MA. (FREE)

7pm – HISTORY: Denis Picard, of the Storrowton Village Museum, will speak at the Buckland Historical Society’s Pie Social this evening. His presentation, “Hand Shoemaking of the 17th to 19th Centuries: The Art and Mystery of an Historic Trade,” will be given in period costume with accompanying artifacts. After the talk, mingle with the Historical Society and community members over coffee, punch, and several homemade pies. Best for older students. 413-625-9763. 32 Upper St. Buckland, MA. <$

7:30pm – THEATER: Ja’Duke Center for the Performing Arts will perform Les Misérables at the Academy of Music Theater. The world’s longest-running musical, this show is about love and destruction in 19th-century France. Enjoy this entertaining tale and the show’s beautiful music while learning about this tumultuous period in French history. 413-584-9032 x102. 274 Main Street. Northampton, MA. $$

PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT

8pm – JAZZ: New Orleans’ own legends the Preservation Hall Jazz Band are playing The Clark tonight! Playing both Dixieland and traditional jazz, the group represents the historic Preservation Hall’s decades-long musical tradition. 413-458-2303. 225 South Street. Williamstown, MA. ($$$)

ONGOING FOR FRIDAYS (The season is changing and we are updating our list with ongoing summer activities! To add your ongoing event/activity here, email us at hilltownfamilies@gmail.com)

10am-8pm – NATURE STUDIES: The Great Falls Discovery Center has extended their summer hours until 8pm. The Center is a great place to learn about the history and ecology of the Connecticut River watershed. 413-863-3221. 2 Avenue A. Turners Falls, MA. (FREE)

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Welcome to Hilltown Families, an online grassroots communication network for families living throughout the four counties of Western Massachusetts. Hilltown Families believes in creating resilient and sustainable communities by developing and strengthening a sense of place in our children and citizens through community-based education and engagement. We work to accomplish this by highlighting the embedded learning that is found everywhere in our communities, making the information accessible to families, and giving parents/educators access to opportunities that support their children’s interests and education while encouraging community engagement.

Hilltown Families was founded in 2005 by Sienna Wildfield and is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

Established in 2005, Hilltown Families has been supporting community-based education through community engagement for over a decade! With your support, we can continue to connect community members of all ages with learning and value-based opportunities throughout the four counties of western Massachusetts! Make a tax-deductible donation to Hilltown Families today! - Hilltown Families is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.

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“We try to go to at least one of the Hilltown Families recommended events each weekend to keep our son experiencing new, educational, and community oriented experiences. Hilltown Families supports my interests in education through community engagement by providing a network of families with similar interests in the same area…a sense of belonging to a group that supports my goals and interests.” – Yi-Lo Yu (Southampton, MA)

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